The Saab Sonett III was a tiny fiberglass pseudo-sporty car with a 65-horse Ford Taunus V-4 engine driving the front wheels. You’d think it would be hard to find a Sonett that fits within the LeMons $500 budgetary restriction—or any Sonett, for that matter—but hundreds of basket-case Sonett projects are mouldering in driveways and garages across the country. The members of S&M Racing decided they’d buy one of those projects, cage it, and race it at Infineon Raceway.

The only problem was that the ’73 Sonett of S&M Racing didn’t quite run when the Sears Pointless BS Inspections began. It also wasn’t ready when the inspections ended. In fact, it didn’t run under its own power until after the first day’s race session had ended. Part of the problem had to do with fuel delivery, and so the team crafted up this strange intake/carb setup atop the V-4.

So, on Sunday morning we had the Saab show up to be inspected. The team had gone with a Creamsicle theme, complete with appropriate two-tone paint job and giant Popsicle stick.

The car came with some of the greatest aftermarket rear-window louvers of all time.

Finally, the car was OK’d to hit the track. It did a single lap—and then limped back into the pits.

After much frenzied wrenching, the Creamsicle went back out. It wasn’t quick (even the dead-stock 1971 Austin America of Team Tinworm beat its best lap time by 30 seconds), but it turned laps. Briefly.

Unfortunately, S&M Racing couldn’t keep the Sonett from breaking down. After causing many, many caution flags to tow the Creamsicle off the track, the Saab retired for the day. We’re hoping to see more of—and a more reliable showing from—the Sonett at the Arse Sweat-a-Palooza next month!